Was wins the Investec Oaks at Epsom for trainer Aidan O'Brien

Aidan O’Brien duly won the Investec Oaks to keep him on course for a clean
sweep of this season’s British Classics, but, not for the first time among
his 200 Group One winners, it was a fourth string, the 20-1 outsider Was
ridden by Seamus Heffernan, who tenaciously held on from Shirocco Star and
The Fugue.

The was the race of Was: Seamie Heffernan riding Was (left) win the Investec Oaks ahead of Shirocco Star during Ladies Day at Epsom Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Was had been the highest priced yearling in Europe when purchased by Coolmore for 1.2 million gns in 2010 and looks well bought now.

A slow early gallop yesterday put paid to the chances of those horses coming from off the pace so it was much to the credit of The Fugue that she was got so close after being shuffled back to almost last.

“This filly was always highly thought of. She was working well in the spring, but a shoe from a work companion flew off and cut her. It needed stitching and held her up. When she ran third at Naas she was only just ready. I don’t think we’re too surprised,” said O’Brien.

Heffernan makes a good living picking up the crumbs, in this case a hunk of bread, spilt from the Ballydoyle table. “It’s massive. It means a lot having been second in two Derbys. She’s straightforward, jumped well and the plan was always to go forward,” he said. He then added – and I am sure this is a first after a Classic: “I’d like to thank my yoga teacher, Lynn, she’s teaching me to relax a bit.”

Andrew Balding had a nerve calming couple of winners ahead of Bonfire’s Derby outing when Side Glance won the Diomed Stakes and Highland Knight the Investec Mile. Side Glance now has the unenviable task of meeting Frankel in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. “After our first runner, the one I fancied most, was beaten I thought we were in for a shocking weekend. But that’s racing,” said Balding.